The field of this invention is that of the handling of gas bottles onto the back of welding machines. A typical restriction on what can be expected of workers in an industrial environment will be to lift 20-80 lbs. occasionally and 1-25 lbs. frequently, and 10 lbs. constantly. With these OSHA type restrictions on exertions which can be expected of employees, the handling of weld bottles has been a startling exception.
Welding gas bottles are normally associated with welding as an inert gas shield is desirable to shield the hot weld area from atmospheric oxygen. Exposing the hot weld area to atmospheric oxygen can substantially reduce the quality of the welds. Other applications of the welding gas bottles are to provide oxygen and acetylene for cutting metal to a desire shape in preparation of welding it together.
Welding gas bottles are typically removed from storage by picking up on the flat bottom plate of a 2 wheel dolly and moved to an area near the end of a welding mobile machine. The bottles will typically weigh about 185 lbs. each. The mobile welding machine will have a support tray about 3 inches above the floor to accept the welding gas bottle. The welder will then “bear hug” the 185 lb. welding gas bottle, pick it up about 6 inches off the floor, rotate his body around about 45 degrees while holding the load, and land the welding gas bottle on the support tray. The welder does on a daily basis what is unimaginable within OSHA guidelines.
Overhead cranes and gib cranes have been outfitted with slings to pick up the bottles on a safer basis, but the inconvenience of moving the welding machines to a position suitable for crane loading and waiting for your turn to use the crane typically make these methods too inconvenient to use.
For the past 100 years, millions of welding gas bottles have been man-handled at OSHA defying and back wrenching loads for one simple reason: they had no better choice. The present invention provides the choice not seen for the past 100 years, the safe and ergonomic handling of welding gas bottles.